God of Blackfield

Once Kang Chan stepped in, Sharlan jerked his chin toward the table.

“We’ve been assigned an operation,” Sharlan said dryly once Kang Chan had sat down.

It didn’t come as a surprise. Considering he had just taken his break, it had been a while since Kang Chan had been deployed.

“We are to neutralize the Islamist rebels who have taken over Gorko, Chad. This is a big operation that involves two special forces teams and five Foreign Legion companies in addition to the 11th unit. The 11th unit will be in charge of the first strike.”

Sharlan slid two maps toward Kang Chan.

“These are detailed maps of Gorko’s entire terrain and rebel bases. It’s a mountainous area, so we assume the enemy’s base is in a cave.”

“Do they have civilians?”

Sharlan shook his head.

“No, but I heard they use the place to train rebels or deliver weapons to the rest of Chad. Beyond that, I don’t know.”

“Tomorrow morning at nine. You’ll take a plane to Yao, then a helicopter to Gorko.”

“Got it.”

Kang Chan took the two maps and left Sharlan’s barracks. The area being civilian-free made him feel as though a slight burden had been lifted off of his chest.

Before heading back to his barracks, Kang Chan looked for Éiric first.

“Éiric! We’re leaving at 0900 tomorrow morning.”

“Oui!”

That was enough of an order for the troops. The rest, as always, would be better issued on the plane.

“Mazani!” Kang Chan called the Algerian. He then moved to the table.

Dayeru was still at the table with a mug of cold coffee in front of him.

As Kang Chan sat down and picked up a cigarette and lighter, Mazani approached him.

“Tell Daye that we’re leaving at 0900 for tomorrow’s operation. And tell him to stay behind me no matter what happens once the operation starts.”

Mazani interpreted Kang Chan’s message into Arabic for Dayeru.

Due to the language barrier, Dayeru still couldn’t communicate with his teammates even though they were already about to embark on a dangerous mission. It was absurd.

If it weren’t for the DGSE, he couldn’t have gotten anywhere near the Foreign Legion; he wouldn’t even be hired as a staff member. Well, he would probably rather die than become a regular employee, so it didn’t really matter anyway.

“Captain,” Dayeru called, speaking for the first time. He then began to speak rapid Arabic, which made Kang Chan think the bastard was really good at it.

“The ones who killed my mother and sister spoke French. I’ve hated the language since,” Mazani quickly interpreted. “He says if you tell him to, he’ll start learning it.”

Kang Chan looked Daye straight in the eye.

One shouldn’t have to live a life that they didn’t want, especially in a place where they could die at any moment.

Kang Chan didn’t fully understand Dayeru’s hostility toward the men who had killed his mother and sister, but he knew what it felt like to be angry upon seeing a mangled corpse. ṝἁꞐộΒÊＳ

“Tell him he doesn’t have to.”

Mazani looked at Kang Chan in surprise and confusion. However, he soon snapped out of it and turned to Dayeru to relay what Kang Chan had said.

“Remind him to stay behind me, though.”

After Mazani did as instructed, Dayeru replied with, “Oui.”

“He has to answer me seriously when I call him Daye too.”

“Oui,” Dayeru repeated.

“Crazy asshole.”

Kang Chan laughed. Dayeru followed suit.

***

The next morning, the men woke up to the large rats screeching behind the barracks as snakes snapped them up.

Mornings in Kilima always felt the same.

Kang Chan found the people here quite lazy, but perhaps that was due to the pitiful screams of rats that he heard every morning. The early risers here were often eaten first by those who had been hungry all night. Moreover, the eagles that flew the highest were the last to descend on carcasses, causing them to miss out on some meals.

He woke up at dawn and ran around the perimeter of the base.

Why would anyone be diligent in this part of the world when early-rising rats were eaten and soaring eagles went hungry here? It didn’t really matter to Kang Chan, though. He was neither a rat nor an eagle.

After his long run, Kang Chan opened a plastic bottle, drank water to refresh himself, and washed up.

Since Dayeru had joined Kang Chan’s unit, he had been waiting for Kang Chan at the table every mealtime. Kang Chan didn’t say anything about it.

Their breakfast was essentially just canned food dumped onto a plate. Still, Dayeru ate a lot.

Kang Chan watched the ridiculously large Algerian as they ate. Somehow, they seemed similar.

He exuded the aura of someone who had spent most of his life alone. Kang Chan didn’t need words to know that, and it wasn’t like he would understand if Dayeru told him anyway.

They finished breakfast without a word of conversation.

Should I teach him Korean?

Unaware of Kang Chan’s thoughts, Dayeru picked up the plates and went back to his barracks.

It was time to prepare for the mission ahead.

Kang Chan entered his barracks and put on a different military uniform than usual. He also wore a helmet and a bulletproof vest that had lots of pockets for a large-scale battle.

Next, he strapped on his weapons one by one.

Click, click.

When Kang Chan stepped outside, his men were already ready and waiting for him at the table. They remained quiet during oddly tense moments like these.

Kang Chan looked at Éiric and gestured toward the entrance.

Click, click.

They would be moving in pairs, two meters apart. Depending on the situation, Kang Chan could adjust the distance between the front and back.

The truck immediately spewed out thick smoke when it saw them. The rumbling of the engine and the smell of burning diesel fuel signaled the start of the operation.

Click! Click!

Éiric and another soldier stood guard at the entrance of the truckbed as the others climbed in. Their new sniper, Montechelle, climbed into the back of the truck and hung his CheyTac from the roof of the cab. That was enough for everyone to know that he was a veteran.

After confirming that Éiric had climbed in with the rest of the unit, Kang Chan walked to the passenger seat. Once he was inside, the truck hit the road.

Vroom!

Clunk! Clunk!

There were times when he wished he could drive down a well-paced road in a luxury sedan instead of the barren landscape of Africa. He wondered what it would be like to sit on a street full of buildings, sipping sweet coffee and smoking a cigarette. People in neat suits, form-fitting dresses, and the like would walk by.

But what would he do in such a place? Become an office worker? That was a terrible idea.

A pork cutlets restaurant owner? He’d likely end up hitting customers in the head with the plates, which would be too troublesome to deal with.

“Haah.”

Perhaps this was how Enzo and Gillot felt. They wanted to soar in the sky, but they couldn’t leave the lifestyle behind.

Vroom! Clunk! Clunk!

The truck continued to zoom off noisily.

All operations started the same way. Unfortunately, the same could be said about how they ended; some of the soldiers departing today wouldn’t come back.

The 11th unit received special treatment, but that was only because their missions were harder and always required sacrifices from the soldiers.

Kang Chan tried not to think about it.

He could never get used to seeing his men covered in blood, coughing, and then dying with a pale face. It didn’t matter how many times he experienced it.

However, just as how water flowed through cracks, Éiric and Mazani seeped through his walls, and he couldn’t help but have a soft spot for Dayeru, who struggled so hard to come to him.

Just like Reznov, Haller, and Foreman.

Vroom!

The truck swerved around a bend, and an airplane came into view. This was it.

Kang Chan sighed quietly and shook off his emotions.

Clank! Clank!

As always, Éiric guarded the entrance, and the men climbed into the plane in single file.

The tarmac was bare and well-paved.

Urrrrng!

The aircraft’s engines slowly grew louder in preparation for the upcoming flight.

As the cargo door of the plane closed, the alarms blared and the green lights flashed rang three times.

The airplane then hit the runway.

Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!

As usual, the shudder of the planes told Kang Chan and his men how the runway curved.

Vrooooom! Creak! Clunk!

Unleashing a flurry of noises, it continued to pick up the pace.

Rooooar!

As the cockpit rose, everyone naturally sagged downward. The men all tilted toward the ground.

Urrrrng!

Finally, the aircraft took to the skies.

“Gather ‘round,” Kang Chan ordered, pulling out the maps. “We’re taking out the Islamic rebels who have taken over Gorko. We’ll fly to Yao, where we’ll take a helicopter to Gorko. From there, it’s about a three-hour ride through the mountains.”

Kang Chan pointed to the route with his index finger.

“This is Point Alpha, this is Point Bravo. If we’re forced to retreat, we’ll regroup here. Questions?”

Only Mazani spoke, quietly interpreting Kang Chan’s instructions into Arabic under his breath.

“Alright. Get some rest for now,” Kang Chan finished. He folded up the map, stuffed it in his pocket, and flopped down on the bunk against the wall of the plane. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The men settled in, each finding a comfortable spot.

They were on their way to an operation, where they never knew when they were going to get sleep. Getting as much rest as they could right now would increase their chances of coming back alive.

***

The engines’ roars changed as the plane tilted wildly.

Waking up, Kang Chan pushed himself up and sat up in his bunk.

Dayeru got up and stretched. “Hnnngggh!”

Meanwhile, Kang Chan headed to the back and picked up a bottle of water. He opened it, downed half of the water, and then used the rest to wash his face.

The enemy could attack them at any moment once they were out of the plane.

The men checked their weapons despite not being told to.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Rooooooar!

Soon, the plane made a rough landing on the runway. Once it had stopped, its cargo door opened.

Du du du du du du du du!

“Éiric!”

Kang Chan pointed with his index and middle finger, and Éiric ran out.

The helicopter was twenty meters away from the plane.

Éiric raised his arms and waved them twice.

“Move!” Kang Chan shouted.

As commanded, the men ran out.

“Daye!” he called.

Dayeru quickly followed him to the helicopter. Éiric and the other soldier then stepped in.

Du du du du du du du du du!

The helicopter shot up straight to the sky.

The sound of the helicopter in their ears, the wind rushing in and out of their faces, and the familiar smell that came from their target locations—missions in Africa were all like this.

Kang Chan sharply scanned the area below them.

The mountainous regions from Yao to Gorko were uncharacteristically green for Africa. They were also made up of peaks of varying heights and depths, which likely made them hard to trek.

Some people would likely think Kang Chan was just sightseeing, but scanning the terrain in advance could sometimes unexpectedly help them.

Du du du du du du du!

When he turned to his side, he saw Dayeru looking at him.

The moment their eyes met, the punk forced a laugh. “Phuhuhu!”

Ha, acting tough, are we?

He was probably laughing to get over his nerves now, but he would definitely laugh genuinely once he had swallowed all his anxiety. Before he could achieve that, though, he had to go on a few more missions like this first.

It wasn’t something that could be taught. They were born with it.

Du du du du du du du du!

After about an hour in the sky, the helicopter began to dip down.

“Éiric! Lead! Mazani! Rear!”

The two men shouted affirmatively.

As the wind whipped around the area, the helicopter tumbled down into a depression in the middle of a mountain.

Thud!

It was a rough landing.

“Éiric!” Kang Chan called.

Éiric immediately ran with one of his men to the foot of the mountain. Once he was around ten meters away, Kang Chan shouted, “Daye!”

He and Dayeru jumped off the helicopter together.

Click, click.

They were about forty meters away from a good hiding spot. Fortunately, Dayeru followed him pretty well.

Click! Click!

Kang Chan huddled close to the foot of the mountain, and Dayeru hunkered down next to him.

Du du du du du du du!

When Mazani finally reached their position, the helicopter had already lifted off and was heading back the way it came.

The men waited for Kang Chan’s instructions.

However, Kang Chan decided to wait. They would only move once their ears, which the helicopter had desensitized, could pick up on the movement around them.

Swoosh! Rustle! Rustle!

After ten minutes or so, Kang Chan finally began hearing the faint sounds of the forest.

Kang Chan looked at Éiric and pointed twice deeper into the mountain with his index and middle fingers, signaling that they would move in pairs, two meters apart.

Éiric left first with another soldier.

“Daye.”

Right behind him, Kang Chan walked with Daye.

The other men followed in the order that they had exited the helicopter.

Click. Click.

They could use the trees to hide, but that was also true for the enemies. They also had to be careful of natives showing up unexpectedly. Some could be coming into the mountains looking for wild game, and others could be bringing their goats with them. Either way, they would run back to the rebels and tell them what they had seen.

The soldiers walked with a keen awareness of their surroundings. Most of them kept their rifles slung in front of them, their left hand pressing down the muzzle and their right index finger hanging over the trigger guard.

Around two hours in, Kang Chan found a spot with a clear view of the area below.

Fsssssss, fsssssss!

He whistled through his teeth, signaling Éiric to stop.

“I want eight men guarding the perimeter. We’ll stop for food and take a twenty-minute break.”

They stopped just a little after five in the afternoon.